Watching climbers attempt this needle (on Needles Highway in the Black Hills) gives me the shivers. It is much easier to paint the needle. 
A Needle
The Eye of the Needle
The Needles Highway in the Black Hills is a must for any traveler or climber. We visited this highway twice because the rock formations were intriguing. I am working to simplify forms and capture a good sense of design. Here is my study of the famous Eye of the Needle rock formation. This is done in watercolor and gouache with hot pink Opera as an underpainting. In some ways, it reminds me of Georgia O’Keeffe’s skull paintings. 
Billy Goat Not so Gruff
Along the Needles Highway, we stopped to watch five mountain goats grazing on what appeared to be Curly Burdock leaves. Here is my rendering of a Billy Goat Tender, the polar opposite of Billy Goat Gruff.